NEMC suspends use of tailings storage facility at North Mara mine
What you need to know:
- Samples taken between February and June this year has found that the facility was leaking poisonous chemicals.
Tarime. The National Environmental Management Council (Nemc) has suspended the use of tailings storage facility at North Mara after samples taken from the facility found that it was leaking poisonous chemical waste.
Speaking over the weekend, the Nemc executive director Dr Samuel Gwamaka said the decision was made after the company failed to control leaking chemicals, a threat to environment and communities surrounding the mine.
“We have suspended the facility until improvement is made to control chemical leaking or a new facility of constructed,” he said.
Government officials including senior officials of the mining commission, office of the chief government chemist and Nemc were also present when the decision was made.
He said the samples taken between February and June 2019 found that the facility was leaking poisonous chemicals.
The representative from the chief government chemist Mr Bonaventura Masambu said all samples randomly taken from the facility showed the existence of hazardous chemicals and the company was advised to make sure that the problem is fixed.
The Acacia manager for North Mara Mr Reuben Ngusaro said the company will work on the issue to mitigate further environmental damages to be caused by the leakage.
